Career change: What you need to know
Nov 15, 2009
ARE you fed up with juggling the same job everyday? Do you dread going to work? Have you lost motivation for the job you previously did with passion? <br>The fact is that there is nothing wrong with your job, but with you. What you need is a career chang
By Maureen Nakatudde
ARE you fed up with juggling the same job everyday? Do you dread going to work? Have you lost motivation for the job you previously did with passion?
The fact is that there is nothing wrong with your job, but with you. What you need is a career change.
George Apiro, the head of guidance and counselling at the Ministry of Education, however, says career change requires a number of strategies and decisions to take.
“Career change does not necessitate moving from one job to another, but moving from an employment that does not enable you to utilise your potential to another where your can utilise it fully,’’he says. “This career should be able to respond to your inner most attitude, interest and social inclinations.â€
Moving from one career to another is not a one-night decision. You need to carry out lot of research in the new area you want to tread, and looking at who you are to re-discover yourself and interests. It involves looking at what you generally like and do not like, exeprts say.
According to Obed Niwagaba, a consultant at Development Planning Consultants in Kampala, a career change may require re-training.
“When you discover you have potential for a particular calling and you want to change to it, you have to develop your potential fully by training in that area,†he says.
Do you want to change you career, but do not know what to do? Don’t be discouraged. Niwagaba advises that apart from doing proper research, one must always have ‘plan B’ in case things don’t work out as hoped.
Explore new opportunities within your area of competence and expertise. A career guidance counsellor can help you navigate the right field basing on your talents and interests.
Besides, one can utilise the skills and experiences they have already gained. Apiro says there is always a linkage to what one wants to do and what one has been doing.
“People who change careers, do not move far away from the general category of what they have been doing.
“For instance, a teacher of accounts can move to commerce, but accounting still remains a key area in his life.
Though he may leave teaching, he might work in a bank as a cashier while practising his accounting.â€
However, sometimes people move from a broad career category to a completely new area, says Apiro. “This is often due to a blunder made at school. May be your career choice was interfered with by the interests of your peers, friends and teachers or family members.†To make a good career change in such a case, one needs to make choices considering his or her interests and capabilities.
Why people change careers
Many people change careers when they find their jobs have become routine.
Some people want to find challenging opportunities.
“Human beings are always looking for a challenge. That is when they are motivated to work harder.â€
Niwagaba says sometimes people change careers due to circumstances.
“For instance, my original career was teaching. I had no intention of changing, but circumstances dictated that I change swiftly,’’ he says.
“I was a grade II teacher and the Ministry of Education announced that it was going to phase out grade II teachers. I decided to join secondary education to advance. As I was teaching, I had to study ordinary and advanced levels. Fortunately, I passed well and joined Makerere University where I studied SWASA. Thereafter, I had to change from being a teacher to an administrator.â€
Consequences of bad career change
Do a careful self evaluation before career change as you might find yourself jumping from a pan into the fire. You should also avoid changing career due to your emotions. Apiro argues that when one changes their career due to emotions, they may end up being frustrated and hence, regret the career move.
ARE you fed up with juggling the same job everyday? Do you dread going to work? Have you lost motivation for the job you previously did with passion?
The fact is that there is nothing wrong with your job, but with you. What you need is a career change.
George Apiro, the head of guidance and counselling at the Ministry of Education, however, says career change requires a number of strategies and decisions to take.
“Career change does not necessitate moving from one job to another, but moving from an employment that does not enable you to utilise your potential to another where your can utilise it fully,’’he says. “This career should be able to respond to your inner most attitude, interest and social inclinations.â€
Moving from one career to another is not a one-night decision. You need to carry out lot of research in the new area you want to tread, and looking at who you are to re-discover yourself and interests. It involves looking at what you generally like and do not like, exeprts say.
According to Obed Niwagaba, a consultant at Development Planning Consultants in Kampala, a career change may require re-training.
“When you discover you have potential for a particular calling and you want to change to it, you have to develop your potential fully by training in that area,†he says.
Do you want to change you career, but do not know what to do? Don’t be discouraged. Niwagaba advises that apart from doing proper research, one must always have ‘plan B’ in case things don’t work out as hoped.
Explore new opportunities within your area of competence and expertise. A career guidance counsellor can help you navigate the right field basing on your talents and interests.
Besides, one can utilise the skills and experiences they have already gained. Apiro says there is always a linkage to what one wants to do and what one has been doing.
“People who change careers, do not move far away from the general category of what they have been doing.
“For instance, a teacher of accounts can move to commerce, but accounting still remains a key area in his life.
Though he may leave teaching, he might work in a bank as a cashier while practising his accounting.â€
However, sometimes people move from a broad career category to a completely new area, says Apiro. “This is often due to a blunder made at school. May be your career choice was interfered with by the interests of your peers, friends and teachers or family members.†To make a good career change in such a case, one needs to make choices considering his or her interests and capabilities.
Why people change careers
Many people change careers when they find their jobs have become routine.
Some people want to find challenging opportunities.
“Human beings are always looking for a challenge. That is when they are motivated to work harder.â€
Niwagaba says sometimes people change careers due to circumstances.
“For instance, my original career was teaching. I had no intention of changing, but circumstances dictated that I change swiftly,’’ he says.
“I was a grade II teacher and the Ministry of Education announced that it was going to phase out grade II teachers. I decided to join secondary education to advance. As I was teaching, I had to study ordinary and advanced levels. Fortunately, I passed well and joined Makerere University where I studied SWASA. Thereafter, I had to change from being a teacher to an administrator.â€
Consequences of bad career change
Do a careful self evaluation before career change as you might find yourself jumping from a pan into the fire. You should also avoid changing career due to your emotions. Apiro argues that when one changes their career due to emotions, they may end up being frustrated and hence, regret the career move.